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DETROIT -- Dave Dombrowskis latest trade also felt like one of his most predictable. There was simply no way the Detroit general manager was going to sit idly by without addressing his teams bullpen. "Weve been working on trying to find someone in the bullpen for an extended period," Dombrowski said. "Its something weve been focused on for a while. For the month of July, at least." The Tigers added one of the games better relievers in a trade earlier this week, acquiring Joakim Soria from Texas, but that may only be the beginning of a significant overhaul in the way Detroit approaches the late innings. Manager Brad Ausmus stuck with his usual routine in Thursday nights win over the Los Angeles Angels, using Joba Chamberlain in the eighth and Joe Nathan in the ninth. But with Soria in the fold, Ausmus now has more options. Detroits bullpen woes are nothing new. The Tigers finally gave up on Jose Valverde as their closer last year, letting Joaquin Benoit handle that role instead. Benoit pitched well, but the grand slam he allowed to Bostons David Ortiz was perhaps the defining moment of baseballs entire post-season in 2013. Benoit left via free agency, and Detroit signed Nathan, who was coming off a sparkling season with the Rangers. The 39-year-old right-hander has slipped badly this year. Even after striking out the side to close out a 6-4 win Thursday, his ERA was an unsightly 5.73. Nathan has shown mild signs of improvement, posting a 3.68 ERA in his last 15 appearances, striking out 21 in 14 2-3 innings in that span. But statistically, Soria has been better this year than any of Detroits current relievers -- and the Tigers gave up a couple promising young arms to get him. Ausmus says hes keeping Nathan and Chamberlain in their usual roles for now -- but Sorias presence means the Detroit manager doesnt have to be overly patient with anyone. Soria struck out 42 with only four walks this season with Texas. As desperate as theyve seemed for bullpen help, the Tigers didnt have to do anything totally irrational to acquire it. Thursdays victory gave Detroit a seven-game lead in the AL Central. The Tigers have had an unusual season. Theyve had winning streaks of eight, seven, six and five, but they also went through a 9-20 stretch that briefly knocked them out of first place. "Even if you win 95 games -- which is real good -- youre losing 67. And there are streaks attached to that," Dombrowski said. "Were a little streakier than I thought we would be as far as losses are concerned. You dont really expect us with our starting pitching staff ... usually when you have strong starting pitching, and some good offence, which we have, that puts sort of a stop to those streaks." The starting rotation has been a strength of this team for the last couple years. Now, the goal is to assemble a bullpen that will enable the Tigers to succeed in tight games when runs are scarce. Chamberlain has been solid in his first season with the Tigers, and the addition of Soria should certainly help. But even if Nathan pitches better, Detroit could probably still use more depth. Left-handed relievers Ian Krol and Phil Coke have generally been erratic. If the Tigers reach the post-season, they could move lefty Drew Smyly from the rotation to the bullpen, where he excelled last year. But there could still be more moves on the way between now and then. "Were still open-minded to getting better," Dombrowski told reporters on a conference call after trading for Soria. "Our bullpen has been a situation that has been our major focus and I guess would continue to be our major focus if we are going to do something." USA Soccer Gear . -- Oakland Athletics third baseman Scott Sizemore has undergone surgery on his left knee to repair a torn anterior cruciate ligament. USA Soccer Jerseys 2020 .com) - Klay Thompson is quickly proving he is worth every penny of his recently signed four-year contract extension. https://www.cheapusasoccer.com/. Though the 26-year-old said he was able to participate, coach Dwane Casey kept Johnson out as a precaution. USA Soccer Jerseys 2019 . The 23-year-old restricted free agent appeared in all 48 games last season, finishing second among all Sabres skaters with 15 goals and 34 points. Fake USA Soccer Jerseys . DeGrom outpitched Jake Peavy in a tantalizing hitless duel that carried into the seventh inning Saturday night before the New York Mets broke loose and beat the San Francisco Giants 4-2.INDIANAPOLIS -- Of the three quarterbacks projected to be picked at the top of the NFL draft this year, Blake Bortles is considered to be the most raw. This, he freely admits. "I have no problem with that. I need coaching. I need help. I think everybody in the game does," Bortles said. He is also determined to make up the difference, fueled by the belief he can become the best prospect at this heralded and critical position. "Im going to do everything that I can here to make sure that when I leave theres other people saying that besides me," Bortles said Friday at the NFLs annual scouting combine. Bortles was measured at an ideal 6-foot-5 and 232 pounds. He has a strong arm and decent athleticism for his size. He didnt face consistently top-tier competition at Central Florida, but he has shown steady improvement and shined at the Fiesta Bowl in his last college game before deciding to skip his senior season. "To give you a complete evaluation at this point, I dont think Im ready to do that, but I can tell you weve watched enough that were very intrigued by him, the traits he has: big, tall, timing, accuracy, decision making," Jacksonville coach Gus Bradley said. "Those are the things we take a close look at." With Houston at No. 1, Jacksonville at No. 3, Cleveland at No. 4, Oakland at No. 5, and Minnesota at No. 8, teams all seeking a long-term solution at quarterback, there is almost no way Bortles, Texas A&Ms Johnny Manziel or Louisvilles Teddy Bridgewater will still be available after that. Bridgewater, who wasnt available to reporters on Friday, declared early for the draft like the two others. But he is the most polished. "You can put the tape in and watch him do things and say, yeah, that translates to the next level," NFL Network analyst Mike Mayock said. "Hes not as much a wild card as Manziel, and I think hes more developed in his reads and throws than Bortles. So thats why I say I think hes the most ready to play." Bortles will throw in front of the teams and their evaluators Sunday when the quarterbacks test their skills at Lucas Oil Stadium. It is a seemingly simple decision now seen as risky by some prospects under advisement from agents to limit their participation to pro day workouts on their own campuses. Bortles stood at a podium Friday with poise, polish and plenty of confidence, not brash but sure sounding ready for whatever the NFL will bring.dddddddddddd. He revealed Brett Favre as his childhood favourite and said he sees Ben Roethlisberger and Andrew Luck as contemporary examples of the type of quarterback he can develop into. He even boldly mentioned Tom Brady and Peyton Manning. "By no means am I those guys," he said, adding: "I 100 per cent believe that eventually I can do what those guys do." Bortles also emphasized his character during the mini-sales pitch he made to the media, undoubtedly similar to what hes sharing with the teams themselves during screening interviews throughout the weekend. "I wont embarrass an organization off the field by making maybe bad decisions or anything like that," Bortles said. "I wont embarrass my familys name, and will be a trustworthy guy and a trustworthy player." Perhaps that was a subtle shot at Manziel, the biggest headliner of this class. Manziel was all business in his news conference Friday, but he wont soon escape the tales of off-the-field shenanigans and questions of character that have followed him from Texas A&M. In many ways, Bortles is the opposite of Manziel, starting with the skill sets. "He is a big guy. He is athletic. He is a competitive guy," said Houston coach Bill OBrien, whose Penn State team was beaten by Bortles and Central Florida last year. "It has been fun to watch him play on tape. It will be good to work him out here." Derek Carr of Fresno State, Jimmy Garappolo of Eastern Illinois, and A.J. McCarron of Alabama comprise the consensus next tier of 2014 quarterback prospects. McCarron, of course, has what none of the others do: two national championships. In the hyper-saturated world of professional football analysis, somehow those titles have managed to become a potential weakness for McCarron, who had the benefit of maybe the most talented roster in the country around him. "Everybody says I played behind NFL talent at Alabama. Well, usually thats whats in the NFL: NFL talent. So I dont know how that can be a knock, really," he said, embracing the old chip-on-the-shoulder mentality. "Ive been disrespected my whole college career, because I won." ' ' '